Article of clothing

ABSTRACT

Inner wear for wearing beneath a jacket is provide, including a water permeable top suitable for wearing indoors in heated surroundings; and a waterproof, water repellent or water resistant band, the band attached to a bottom portion of the top below said jacket, and sized to cover the torso of a wearer. The band may be detachable from the top, and may be attached to the top via a hook and loop combination, buttons, snaps, or a zipper.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This application relates to clothing, and particularly innerwear clothing worn in a snowy environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When taking part in outdoor winter activities, such as snowboarding or skiing, it is normal to wear clothes in several layers, so that should the participant become too hot or too cold, layers of clothing can be removed or added as needed. Additionally layering assists with the absorption of excess sweat while the participant is active.

When participating in such winter activities, the participants often need to sit down on the snow, for example to put equipment on, take a break, eat or socialize with other participants. Winter activities take place outdoors, often in wet, cold and/or snowy conditions. Thus it is desirable for a participant to be able to sit on a waterproof element so that their other clothes do not get wet. Snowboarders in particular, must sit to put on or take off their snowboard, so that for example, each time a chairlift is used, the snowboarder is required to sit to reattach their bindings.

In the prior art, this has been resolved by the participant wearing jackets that reach below the wearer's waist, or the addition of a “skirt” to the participant's jacket, as seen in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0022285. A difficulty with such solutions is that they require the participant to wear their jacket, the outermost layer of clothing worn. If the participant is warm, which may occur if the weather is sunny, or through the exertion of the participant, the participant is forced to wear their jacket to maintain the protection offered by the skirt.

What is needed is a means to allow participants, when not wearing their jackets, to sit on wet, cold or snowy surfaces while being protected from such surface. Alternatively, for fashion reasons, participants may wish to wear inner wear that extends below their jacket, yet still provides protection from the snow.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A garment for wearing beneath a jacket is provided, the garment having at least one opening wherein a water resistant, water repellent, or waterproof band is positioned around the opening.

A garment for wearing beneath a jacket is provided, including a top made of a water permeable fabric; and a band attached to a bottom portion of the top, said band sized to cover the torso of a wearer, wherein the band is made of a water resistant material. The band may be sewed to the top or may be detachable from the top. If the band is detachable it may be attached to the top via a hook and loop combination, a zipper, via a plurality of buttons positioned on the band, and a corresponding plurality of slits for receiving the buttons on the top, or a plurality of snaps. The band may have a first vertical slit defining first and second edges of the band, and may have a second vertical slit defining third and fourth edges of the band, and the first and second slits are positioned on opposite sides of the band. The first and second edges may be pleated, connected via an elastic piece of fabric, snaps, buttons or a zipper.

Inner wear for wearing beneath a jacket, is provided, including a water permeable top; and a band attached to a bottom portion of the top, the band sized to cover the torso of a wearer, wherein the band is made of a waterproof material. The band may be sewed to the top or may be detachable from the top. If the band is detachable it may be attached to the top via a hook and loop combination, a zipper, via a plurality of buttons positioned on the band, and a corresponding plurality of slits for receiving the buttons on the top, or a plurality of snaps. The band may have a first vertical slit defining first and second edges of the band, and may have a second vertical slit defining third and fourth edges of the band, and the first and second slits are positioned on opposite sides of the band. The first and second edges may be pleated, connected via an elastic piece of fabric, snaps, or buttons or a zipper.

A garment for wearing beneath a jacket is provided, including a top made of a water permeable fabric; and a band attached to a bottom portion of the top, the band sized to cover the torso of a wearer, wherein said band is made of a water repellent material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following figures set forth embodiments of the invention in which like reference numerals denote like parts. Embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the accompanying figures.

FIG. 1 is a front view of an article of clothing according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of a band thereof, having a zipper;

FIG. 3 is a front view thereof, having a hook and loop connection;

FIG. 4 is a front view thereof, having buttons;

FIG. 5 is a side view of an article of clothing according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a side view of a band thereof, showing a pleat;

FIG. 7 is a side view thereof, showing an elastic attachment;

FIG. 8 is a side view thereof, showing a plurality of buttons;

FIG. 9 is a side view thereof, wherein no split is present;

FIG. 10 is a side view of a wrist band according to the invention;

FIG. 11 is a front view of a collar band according to the invention; and

FIG. 12 is a front view of a hood band according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The clothing according for the invention is for use as inner wear, i.e. clothing that may be worn as base layers under a jacket. Such inner wear may include sweaters, sweat shirts, shirts, t-shirts, hoodies, camisoles, and tank tops. The inner wear according to the invention is ideal for winter sporting activities, such as snowboarding, skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and skating.

The garment 10, according to the invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 includes innerwear, functioning as base layer top 20, and band 30, around an opening 15, which is waterproof, water repellent, or water resistant and attached to a base layer top 20 proximate to the bottom 25 of top 20. Top 20 has a plurality of openings 15, for example at the sleeves, collar and waist. In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, band 30 is positioned around opening 15 at the waist of top 20.

Top 20 is made of water permeable material such as polyester, recycled polyester, micro fleece, spandex, linen, rayon, cotton, lycra, nylon, or combinations thereof, and may be comfortably worn indoors in heated environments. Top 20 also may lack bulk and be form fitting, unlike typical outer wear, such as jackets. Band 30 extends from a lower portion 25 of layer top 20 to below the torso of the wearer, to cover the torso of the wearer so that when the wearer sits in snow, ice or cold surfaces, for example to strap snowboard or ski bindings, or if the user falls, the clothing covered by band 30, for example pants, top 20, and other inner wear extending beneath the jacket, stays dry. If a jacket is worn over garment 10, it will provide water resistant covering of top 20, while band 30 will extend below the jacket to protect the wearer's midsection.

Top 20 and band 30 can be attached in various ways and can vary in length and width. Top 20 and band 30 can be attached with a detachable zipper, snaps, buttons, or hook and loop combination (such as VELCRO™), or can be sewn together (so that band 30 is not detachable from top 20).

As seen in FIG. 2, top portion 25 of band 30 may include zipper 40, for attachment to a corresponding zipper 45 at the lower portion 25 of top 20. As seen in FIG. 3, band 30 may include either the hook or the loop portion 50 at top portion 25 of band 30 for connection to a corresponding loop or hook portion, respectively, at the bottom portion 25 of top 20.

As seen in FIG. 4, the top portion 25 of band 30 may include buttons 60, and bottom portion 25 of top 20 may include slits for receiving buttons 60. Alternatively either top 20 may be attached to band 30 using snaps in which case either top portion 25 of band 30 or bottom portion 25 of top 20 may include snap receivers to receive and hold snaps, and bottom portion 25 of top 20 or top portion 25 of band 30, respectively, having corresponding snaps. Band 30 can be made of a waterproof, or water repellent, or water resistant fabric, such as a three layer fabric, including 100% polyester outside layer, a middle layer of polyurethane membrane, and an inside layer of 100% polyester thin micro fleece. Alternatives include: a blend of 89% polyester/11% spandex water resistant with three layers of breathable lamination; or a blend of 94% nylon/6% Spandex™ water resistant with three layers of breathable lamination.

Yet other alternatives include a blend of 76% nylon/24% spandex; 90% nylon/10% lycra; 100% polyester with a mechanical stretch, two way stretch or four way stretch or non stretch; or 80% nylon/14% polyester/6% lycra with a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) or SWR (Secondary Water Resistance) water repellent coating.

There are many different alternatives available for the fabrics for both top 20 and band 30, as are known in the art.

Band 30 may be made with a stretch or non-stretch fabric. Band 30 may have a color, print, or texture as desired by the wearer. Garment 10 can be sized for men or women of any age group. Band 30 may have multiple layers of fabrics. Band 30 may also be a single waterproof layer of fabric, or two layers (with the outer layer and/or inner layers waterproof, water resistant or water repellent).

As seen in FIGS. 6 through 8, band 30 may have slits 65 on sides 70, or alternatively in front 75 or back 80. Slits 65 may overlap itself, or the two sides of band 30 separated by slit 65 may be attached using a variety of means. Such means may include pleat 85, as seen in FIG. 6, or alternatively the two sides may be attached by elasticized fabric 90, as seen in FIG. 7; snaps 95 and snap receivers 100, as seen in FIG. 8; buttons and slits therefor (not shown); or zippers. Also, as seen in FIG. 9 no slit may be present.

In alternative embodiments of the garment 10, band 30 may be positioned at different openings 15 of top 20. For example band 30 may be positioned around the end of sleeve 110, as seen in FIG. 10, to cover the portion of the wrist between the outer wear, i.e. jacket, and gloves or mittens. Such an embodiment allows participants, when in deep snow, to avoid snow getting between their gloves or mittens and sleeve 110. Band 30 may be detachable from top 20 of sewed to top 20. In such an embodiment, band 30 may include an aperture 150 for receiving the wearer's thumb.

Alternatively, as seen in FIG. 11, band 30 may be positioned around collar 120 of top 10 to provide shelter between a hat or hood and the outer wear. Also band 30 may be positioned around the edge 160 of a hood 170, as seen in FIG. 12. Band 30, may be placed around (or encircle) all openings 15 of top 20 that may be exposed to the snow, for example the waist of top 20, the collar 120 or hood 170, or sleeves 110.

Although the particular preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus lie within the scope of the present invention. 

1. A garment for wearing beneath a jacket, comprising: (a) a top, said top having at least an opening, said top made of a water permeable fabric; (b) a band, said band encircling said opening; wherein said band is made of a water resistant material.
 2. The garment of claim 1 wherein said opening is at a waist of said top, and said band is attached to a bottom portion of said top, encircling said waist, said band sized to cover the torso of a wearer.
 3. The garment of claim 2 wherein said band is sewed to said top.
 4. The garment of claim 2 wherein said band is detachable from said top.
 5. The garment of claim 4 wherein said band is attached to said top via a hook and loop combination.
 6. The garment of claim 4 wherein said band is attached to said top via a zipper.
 7. The garment of claim 4 wherein said band is attached to said top via a plurality of buttons positioned on said band, and a corresponding plurality of slits for receiving said buttons on said top.
 8. The garment of claim 4 wherein said band is attached to said top using a plurality of snaps.
 9. The garment of claim 2 wherein said band has a first vertical slit defining first and second edges of said band.
 10. The garment of claim 9 wherein said band has a second vertical slit defining third and fourth edges of said band, and said first and second slits are positioned on opposite sides of said band.
 11. The garment of claim 9 wherein said first and second edges are pleated.
 12. The garment of claim 9 wherein said first and second edges are connected via an elastic piece of fabric.
 13. The garment of claim 9 wherein said first and second edges are connected via snaps.
 14. The garment of claim 9 wherein said first and second edges are connected using buttons.
 15. Inner wear for wearing beneath a jacket, comprising: (a) a water permeable top; and (b) a band, said band attached to a bottom portion of said top, said band sized to cover the torso of a wearer, wherein said band is made of a waterproof material.
 16. The inner wear of claim 15 wherein said band is sewed to said top.
 17. The inner wear of claim 15 wherein said band is detachable from said top.
 18. The inner wear of claim 17 wherein said band is attached to said top via a hook and loop combination.
 19. The inner wear of claim 17 wherein said band is attached to said top via a zipper.
 20. The inner wear of claim 17 wherein said band is attached to said top via a plurality of buttons positioned on said band, and a corresponding plurality of slits for receiving said buttons on said top.
 21. The inner wear of claim 17 wherein said band is attached to said top using a plurality of snaps.
 22. A garment for wearing beneath a jacket, comprising: (a) a top, said top made of a water permeable fabric; and (b) a band, said band attached to a bottom portion of said top, said band sized to cover the torso of a wearer, wherein said band is made of a water repellent material. 